Updated
Easter is one of Uganda’s biggest holidays, with Good Friday and Easter Monday both public holidays. In a country where most people are Christian, the weekend brings packed church services, Way of the Cross processions through towns and villages on Good Friday, and family gatherings with a festive Sunday meal. In 2027, Good Friday falls on 26 March and Easter Monday on 29 March. For travellers, it is a lively time to be in Uganda, but roads are busy and lodges fill up.
How Easter is celebrated
Holy Week starts with Palm Sunday processions. On Good Friday, Catholic and Anglican parishes hold the Way of the Cross, often walking several kilometres between stations with readings and songs, and in some places re-enacting the crucifixion. Many people attend long services on Easter Saturday night and Easter Sunday morning, with choirs, drums and dancing. Sunday lunch is a family feast, often with chicken, goat or beef, matoke and rice, and city residents travel to their home villages for the weekend. See our guide to religion in Uganda.
Pilgrimage sites
Some Catholics walk to shrines and churches over the Easter period, and Namugongo, site of the Uganda Martyrs shrines, draws worshippers, though its largest pilgrimage is on Martyrs’ Day, 3 June. Rubaga and Namirembe cathedrals in Kampala hold major services. See our guides to Namugongo and Kampala’s cathedrals and mosques.
Travelling at Easter
Easter usually falls in the long rains, from March to May, so expect wet trails, but it is also within the discounted permit months when Easter is in April or May: the gorilla permit costs US$800, or US$600 in April, May and November, and in 2027 Easter falls in March, so the full price applies. Book lodges early, allow extra time on roads as families travel home, and expect some shops to close on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Visitors are welcome at church services; dress modestly. See our guide to Uganda’s public holidays.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, both are public holidays.
Good Friday is 26 March and Easter Monday is 29 March.
Yes, visitors are welcome if dressed modestly.
Yes, but expect rain and busy roads, and book lodges early.
